Scribd
Upload
693 views3 pages

Global Politics Paper 1 Guidelines

This document provides information about the external assessment for the IB Global Politics course, including details about Paper 1 and Paper 2. Paper 1 is a stimulus-based exam worth 30% of the SL grade and 20% of the HL grade. It contains 4 structured questions assessing different assessment objectives, including knowledge and understanding, application and analysis, and synthesis and evaluation. Paper 2 is an essay exam worth 45% of the SL grade and 40% of the HL grade. It contains 2 questions per core unit, some firmly anchored in a unit and some more cross-unit. It assesses conceptual understanding and the ability to work with key concepts, drawing on prescribed content and examples to explore views and counterclaims.

Uploaded by

Ashita Naik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
693 views3 pages

Global Politics Paper 1 Guidelines

This document provides information about the external assessment for the IB Global Politics course, including details about Paper 1 and Paper 2. Paper 1 is a stimulus-based exam worth 30% of the SL grade and 20% of the HL grade. It contains 4 structured questions assessing different assessment objectives, including knowledge and understanding, application and analysis, and synthesis and evaluation. Paper 2 is an essay exam worth 45% of the SL grade and 40% of the HL grade. It contains 2 questions per core unit, some firmly anchored in a unit and some more cross-unit. It assesses conceptual understanding and the ability to work with key concepts, drawing on prescribed content and examples to explore views and counterclaims.

Uploaded by

Ashita Naik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Definitions of these command terms are listed in the “Glossary of command terms” section as an appendix

to this guide.

Assessment objective Command terms Depth


level
AO1: Knowledge and Define These terms require students to learn and
understanding comprehend the meaning of information.
Describe
Identify
Outline
AO2: Application and Analyse These terms require students to use their
analysis knowledge to explain actual situations, and to
Distinguish
break down ideas into simpler parts and to see
Explain how the parts relate.
Suggest
AO3: Synthesis and Compare These terms require students to rearrange
evaluation component ideas into a new whole and make
Compare and contrast
judgments based on evidence or a set of
Contrast criteria.
Discuss
Evaluate
Examine
Justify
To what extent

External assessment details


Paper 1
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes at SL and HL
Weighting: 30% at SL; 20 % at HL

This paper is a stimulus-based paper on a topic taken from one of the four core units. Four stimuli are
presented, which may be written, pictorial or diagrammatic, and which link to one of the four core units.
Students must answer all four structured questions.

The same paper is set at both SL and HL.

Global politics guide 51


The maximum mark for this paper is 25. The paper is marked using a paper-specific analytic markscheme
and for the fourth question, markbands are additionally used. The questions in this paper assess the
following objectives.

Question Assessment objective


[number of marks]
The first question tests understanding of a AO1: Knowledge and understanding
source. This can be demonstrated, for example,
[3 marks]
by identifying the main political issue or viewpoint
expressed in a particular written source or by
describing the political information in a visual or
table-based source.
The second question tests application of AO2: Application and analysis
knowledge to the context of a source/sources.
[4 marks]
This can be demonstrated, for example, by
explaining a term used in a source or by
explaining the topic dealt with in the source.
Students should primarily focus on the
source/sources but should also draw on other
supporting examples from their study of global
politics, where relevant.
The third question tests comparison and/or AO3: Synthesis and evaluation
contrasting of the ideas/views expressed in two
AO4: Use and application of appropriate skills
of the sources. Students should focus on
comparing and/or contrasting points in the [8 marks]
sources but may make use of their wider study of
global politics to provide context, if relevant.
Students should organize the material into a
clear, logical and coherent response. For the
highest marks, a detailed running comparison/
contrast is expected.
The fourth question will test evaluation of AO3: Synthesis and evaluation
sources and contextual knowledge. Students
AO4: Use and application of appropriate skill
should synthesize and evaluate evidence from
the sources and their study of the prescribed [10 marks]
content and key concepts of the course.
Students should organize the material into a
clear, logical and coherent response.

Global politics guide 52


Markbands for the fourth question
Marks Level descriptor
0 • The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
1–2 • There is a very limited understanding of the demands of the question.
• There is little relevant knowledge.
• The response is mostly descriptive and may contain unsupported generalizations.
3–4 • There is a limited understanding of the demands of the question, or the question is only
partially addressed.
• Some knowledge is demonstrated, but this is not always relevant or accurate, and may
not be used appropriately or effectively.
• Counterclaims, or different views on the question, are not identified.
5–6 • The response shows an understanding of the demands of the question.
• Knowledge is mostly accurate and relevant, and there is some limited synthesis of own
knowledge and source material.
• Counterclaims, or different views on the question, are implicitly identified but are not
explored.
7–8 • The response is focused and shows a good understanding of the demands of the
question.
• Relevant and accurate knowledge is demonstrated, there is a synthesis of own
knowledge and source material, and appropriate examples are used.
• Counterclaims, or different views on the question, are explored.
9–10 • The response is clearly focused and shows a high degree of understanding of the
demands of the question.
• Relevant and accurate knowledge is demonstrated, there is effective synthesis of own
knowledge and source material, with appropriate examples integrated.
• Counterclaims, or different views on the question, are explored and evaluated.

Paper 2
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes at SL; 2 hours and 45 minutes at HL
Weighting: 45% at SL; 40% at HL

This paper is an essay paper, with two questions set on each of the four core units. At least one of the
questions for each unit is firmly anchored in that unit, whereas the second question may open up for a
more cross-unit approach.

Conceptual understanding and ability to work with the key concepts of the course is particularly important in
this paper. Some questions use the key concepts of that particular unit. Still other questions draw on key
concepts from several units. Even where the key concepts are not explicitly mentioned in a question,
students should demonstrate a conceptual understanding of global politics. In their answers, students are
invited to draw on their understanding of any relevant political concepts, depending on the arguments they
put forward.

Marks are awarded for demonstrating understanding of relevant political concepts and prescribed content,
making reference to specific relevant examples, justifying points and exploring and evaluating
counterclaims, or different views on the question.

The same paper is set at both SL and HL. SL students must answer two questions, each selected from a
different core unit. HL students must answer three questions, each selected from a different core unit.

Global politics guide 53

You might also like